Buckle or the like.



C. S. COMSTOCK, Sn.

BUCKLE OR THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.9.19I7.

1,273,460. Patented July 23, 1918.

INVENTOR WlTN/ESSES 54 4 By Atlorn eys,

CLARK S. COMSTOCK, SR, 0]? EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

BUCKLE OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1918.

Application filed October 9, 1917. Serial No. 195,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARK S. OOMSTOCK, Sr., a citizen of the United States of America, residing in East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to garment buckles or loops, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

The buckles to which my invention relates are usually constructed of wire which is bent to form a lower button-receiving portion more or less triangular in form, the two ends being brought inwardly and then upwardly, and sharpened to form the prongs of the buckle. The frame portion of the buckle is usually hinged to the loop near the prongs. The button-receiving portion is provided with a button recess at its bottom and a constricted throat leading to such button recess. Such buckles are designed especially for overalls and other cheap garments, and are consequently made very cheaply, in the fewest number of operations and of the least quantity of wire stock. The constricted throat leading to the button recess is designed to be of such dimensions that it must be sprung apart slightly to admit the button shank, so that after the button is in its recess the contraction of the throat will be sufficient to hold the button in place. As a matter of practice, however, these throats are seldom accurately made, and the same is true of the buttons they are designed to receive. Very slight deviations from the theoretical sizes are sufficient to produce such a. loose fit that the contracted throat will not hold the button in place. In such buckles there is practically little, if any, capacity for outward springing of the throat, so that such irregularities in the structure of the buckle and button cannot be compensated for. Garment loops are also made in this same way, with the exception that instead of the ends of the wire being carried upwardly to form prongs, they are joined by a sleeve 01' the like, and the frame of the buckle is accordingly omitted.

According to the present invention, I provide a construction in which very little more wire is used than in the common form, but I introduce suflicient springiness into the structure to avoid any escape of the button, even though there are deviations from the proper dimensions in the buckle or in the button shank. According to the invention, I omit the throat which leads to the button recess, and in lieu thereof introduce what may be termed a looped stop, against which the button impinges when it seeks to escape, and which looped stop has suflicient springiness to overcome any errors in the proportions.

In the drawing, wherein I have illustrated several forms of the invention,

Figure l is a plan of a buckle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a loop constructed according to the present invention, and

Fig. 4: is a side elevation thereof.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, let A indicate the buckle as a whole, which is formed with two wire member-SB and C. The portion B is preferably triangular in form, having a button-receiving portion B, and is bent at its middle to form a button recess at its bottom, and the'ends being carried upwardly to form prongs D and E. The portion O has a prong-rest F at its middle, and the ends thereof are bent downwardly to engage horizontal portions G and II of the part B. In the usual form of prior constructions the wire is continued from the button recess I directly upward to join the portions G and IT. According to the present invention, however, on one side of the structure I introduce a looped slop-member J which overlies the button-rcceiving recess so as to make a restricted passage K through which the button shank must pass in order to reach the recess I. The looped stop-member J is preferably formed by bending the wire inwardly just below the horizontal portion G, is shown at L. and then downward obliquely, as shown at M, and then upwardly substantially parallel to M, as shown at N; the wire is then turned abruptly at I and continued downwardly to the button recess. This stopmember introduces considerable resilience into the structure, since it. can bend about the portions T1 and P to a considerable extent. At the same time it overlies the button recess near the top to such an extent that the button shank mustbe introduced in an oblique direction to reach its recess. As the width of the space K is less than the diameter of the button shank, there is little or no chance for the button to escape. When there is a tendency to this, the button shank reaches the 'stopand furtheraccidental movement in this direction is'prevented.

In Figs, 3 and 4 the same constructionisshown, with the exception that the horizontal portions G and H are continued toward each other; asshow-n at'G' andH, and -coupled" together by a sleeve Q, orwin-anylothersuitable manner. Of course, in this case the buckle frame 0 is omitted. v

VVhileI have shown and described several forms of the invention, it will be understood" that ldo not wish to be limited thereto since various changes may be made 7 therein -withoutdeparting.- from the spirit of theinvention.

\Vhat I claim is: p

1. A fastener comprising a wire member having a button-receivingportionand a button recess leading thereto, and a looped 'stop member extending partially over the top of the button recess and adapted to *yield to" permit theentrance of the button to such recess, said stop-member formed of the samepiece of wire as the portion of the buckle to which itis-connected, and beingerigidly ton recess leading thereto,- and a looped stop? cop iesiof this :patent may. ,be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing itheCommissioner or Patents,

member extending partially over the top of the button recess and adapted to yield to permit the entrance of the button to such recess,--sa-id looped stop-member comprising an elongated portion formed by bending the wireobllquely downward and then upward,

andthencedownwardly toward the button recess.-

3. A fastener comprislng a W1re member having a button-receiving,portion and a :but-

ton-recess leadingthereto, and a looped stoprecess, said looped form a portion L, downwardly to form= a portion M and upwardly to form a portion N, and thence downwardly toward the but ton recess.

4. A fastener -compr1s1ng, :a wire member having a button-receiving portion and abuts ton recessleading thereto, and a looped stopmember extending partially over the top of the butt-onjrecessand adaptedtoyield to permit the entranceof theibutton to such recess, said* stopemember being) unconnected I across its ends-.-

signed my. name.

CLARK s. ooMsTooK, sR.

Washington, 11.0.

, to In w witness whereof, .11 have hereunto 

